Metallic fence-post



(No Model.)

H. FISCHER.

METALLIC FENCE POST.

No. 488,193. Patented Dec. 20,1892.

FFICLEQ IIERMANN FISCHER, OF PRAIRIEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

METALLIC FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,193, dated December 20, 1892.

Application filed. March 14, 1892. Serial No. 424,846. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMANN FISCHER, a citizen of. the United States, residing at Prairieville, in the county of Lee and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Fence-Posts; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has, reference to improvements in metallic fence posts, and consists in a novel form of sheet metal, of the proper size and thickness, and of such shape as to have the maximum of resistance to pressure or force, applied thereto, with the minimum of material. This result is reached by giving a strip of sheet metal such conformation as will present a wide surface in the earth in the line of a fence, so that said post is adapted to fully resist pressure perpendicular to the fence, from either within or without the latter. The above directions are the only ones from which force can be applied to a post, inasmuch as the line of fence prevents the application of force to the post in such line, and the wire strands or fence boards, as the case may be, sufficiently brace the posts, in the line of the fence. The necessary strength required above the ground line to antidote the otherwise flexibility of the post, above the earth, is imparted and secured by a cross, intermediate sect-ion of the post, integraltherewith, having its longest transverse diameter perpendicular to the line of fence. The requirement, in this behalf, is the most essential at about the ground line, as the leverage of the upper portion of the post would have its maximum of strain at such line. And, therefore, such strengthening cross central section has its maximum of width at about said ground line, and is reduced or tapered each way from said point to the respective ends of said post. The post, being adapted to either wire or boards, or a combination of the two, there are presented two faces for the attachment of boards,

by means of wire nails passing through said boards, and suitable holes formed in the opposite faces of the post, and said post is also adapted to be used with wire, by the formation of aseries of transverse notches in one of the angles of the post, within which the wire can be forced, or keyed in any suitable manner. An additional feature in said post, to augment the solidity of its ground seat, consists in forming vertical slits at the ground end of the post, a suitable distance upward in the latter, along the line of the aforesaid central cross section, and in forming on the ends of the attached wings, thus created, a short, oblique bend or flange, extending downward, and from said central section, so that in forcing the post downward into the earth, said flange will cause said separate wings to oppositely deflect from the perpendicular, and pass diagonally, or in a curved direction into the earth, thereby widening the seat of the post in the ground.

In the drawings, Figure I is a perspective of the blank sheet of metal from which the post is formed, and a post formed therefrom embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a crosssection of my invention at about the ground line thereof. Fig. 3 is a cross section of the post and Fig. 4 exhibits the post as seated in the earth, viewed in the line of the fence.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in each view.

A is the post referred to, which is preferably formed of sheet steel of the usual thickness. It will be noticed from Fig. 1,'that the blank from which the post is formed is about twice as wide at one end as it is at the other. It is designed to out the post transversely from a sheet of steel, having a width equal to the length of the post, and by cutting the base and top alternately from each side of the sheet, the latter can be used without waste. After being thus cut, the post is formed by either asuitable die, or what is termed a bulldozer.

B, B are the respective faces for the reception of boards, which, when the post is seated, will be in the line of the fence. In the faces B are formed small holes 0, for the reception of steel nails, driven through the boards, and clinched on the opposite sideof the face B.

D is the central vertical section of the post A,.integral with the faces B, and extended perpendicular thereto, and connecting what said line-downward to the bottom thereof.

The purpose of the taper upward is to proportion the width of said cross section to the amount of leverage exerted from the upper portion of the post, and the purpose of the taper downward into the earth is to throw more metal into the downward prolongation of the faces B, so as to present more surface in the earth, against strain perpendicular to the line of the fence.

In order to greater clearness, I term the lower end of the faces B, which project into the earth, wings E, and said wings are partially severed from the central cross section D, by vertical slits F, extending from the lower end of the post any desired proportion of the distance toward the ground line G of the post. On the extreme lower edge of the wings E are formed short bends or flanges H, extending respectively, from the central section D, and adapted, when the post is driven downward into the earth, to deflect said wings E from' said central section inward and outward, respectively, from the line of the fence, and

thereby Widen the base of the post, and obtain the advantage of the super-incumbent earth, which will rest on the upper surface of said wings, causing the latter to operate as binders, or guys, for the main body of the post.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, considerable difficulty has been encountered in securing fence wire to metallic fence posts and my present invention contemplates means for accomplishing this result whereby such difficulties are altogether obviated. In securing the wire to flat sheet metal posts it has been customary, hitherto, to form slots extending from the edge of the posts inward and to secure the wire in such slots by forcing it thereinto, but this is a Very insecure fastening and the slight pressure against it. Another method is the employment of tubular posts provided with slots across the periphery at intervals, into which slots the several fence wires are entered, all of the wires being secured in place by a single wire or rod passed down inside the post between the Wires and the wall of the post. But this construction is also open to the objection that all of the wires must be strung at once or else great difficulty will be encountered in securing them and should one of the wires at the bottom of the fence break, it is necessarytoloosen all of the wires in order to secure the broken wire again in place. I provide improved means for securing the wire to the post whereby the wires are held securely in position against all lateral strains, and should one of them be broken, it may be readily secured in place to the post again without disturbing either of the other wires. To accomplish this result I employ the means I will now describe:

In one of the angles of the post are formed fence wire receiving slots J within which the fence wire is forced laterally, and retained by a nail, or peg, dropped between the wire and post at the inside of the angle of the latter. Thus it will be seen that each of the wires is secured to the post independently of the others and the fastening device is easily accessible in case the wire should be broken. After being formed as shown in Fig. 2 the post A is driven into the earth without the trouble of any previously made hole, and the narrow resisting surface at its extreme base, renders the operation of driving comparatively easy.

The entire post, previous to being seated, should be covered with paint, or other coating, impervious to moisture, to prevent corrosion. In this respect, this form of post is preferable to tubular ones, as in the latter it is impracticable to satisfactorily coat the interior. If preferred, the post can be made of cast iron.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is,-

1. A fence post consisting of asheet metal standard, the edges of which are bent in opposite directions to form parallel wings, said standard being provided with a series of transverse slots at one of its angles, each of said slots extending into the main portion and into one of the wings and each wing being provided with a series of perforations to receive nails for securing boards thereto, substantially as set forth. 7

2. A fence post, consisting of a standard formed of a flat sheet of metal having longitudinal wings bent in opposite directions from its edges, the lower end of each of' said wings being separated from the standard and isaid wings lying in substantially parallel planes throughout their whole length, sub- Istantially as set forth.

wire is readily removed from such slots by 3. A fence post consisting of a standard formed of a fiat sheetof metal having longitudinal wings bent in opposite directions from its edges, the lower end of each of said Wings being separated from the standard and having an outwardly projecting bend formed at its end, and said'wings lying in substantially parallel planes throughout their whole length, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERMANN FISCHER. Witnesses:

JOHN G. MANAHAN, HENRY O. WARD.

IIO 

